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'E. A. RIX. Air Gompress-or.

Pat en ted Dec. 21, 11880.

Witness s NPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGON, n c.

UNrrnn STATES PATENT EDWARD A. RIX, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,816, dated December21, 1880.

Application filed August 9, [880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD A. RIX, of thecity and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have inventedan Improved Air- Compressor and I hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

Myinvention relates to certain improvements in machines which areemployed to compress air, and of that class in which the cylinders areprovided at their compressing ends with a discharge-valve of the fullarea of the cylinder.

Myinvention consists, mainly, in the employment of a discharge-valvewhich occupies the entire area of the cylinder, and a means forregulating and adjusting the tension of this valve to make it closeevenly all around and prevent chattering.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmy invention, the figure is a vertical section of my apparatus.

In the construction of air-compressors various devices have beenemployed to allow the air to be entirely discharged at each stroke ofthe piston, and among others the employment of a single large valvewhich occupies the entire endbf the cylinder, and which opens dur-' ingthe stroke of the piston and closes instantaneously when the pistoncommences its return-stroke. This valve has hitherto been objectionablebecause it has not been possible to so regulate its tension in everycase that it will not chatter and make a great noise when at work, andthis difficulty has caused this class of compressors to be almostentirely abandoned. As ithas been used in horizontal cylinders, dirtwill unavoidabl y collect at the bottom of the ey1- inder, and willobstruct the seat on that side, so that the valve will not closeperfectly and will leak. The horizontal movement of the valve will alsosoon wear the lower side of the guide-opening so that the valve will notclose truly.

My invention consists in the combination, with a valve ofthisconstruction, of a tensionscrew, by which the valve may beaccurately adjusted and all chattering prevented.

A is the cylinder of my compressor, which is mounted vertically upon aframe or standard, B, which serves as a guide for the crosshead C of thepiston-rod D. The cylinder has a broad flange, E, by which itis boltedto the frame, which has a similar flange, as shown. The shell of thecylinder is made double, so that it has a surrounding water-space, F.Water is admitted to this space through an opening, G, at the bottom,and is discharged through an opening, H, at the top, cocks being soarranged that the water may be used under any pressure desired oravailable. thus receiving the water at the bottom and discharging it atthe top an upward current is established as it becomes heated during thecompression of the air, and the Warm water will be constantly dischargedabove to make room for that which is colder from below. The upper end ofthe cylinder is counterbored or otherwise fitted to receive the valve Iand form a seat for it, and the valve, which occupies the full diameter,has an extension, J, which serves as a guide, and is exactly fitted to acorrespondin g cylindrical guide-chamber, K, formed with thecylinder-head L. A spring, M, fits into the hollow extension J, and byits pressure assists to close the valve after it has been opened. Theseparts have already been described in the patents to Thos.Doane,.1)ecember, 1867, and WV. F. Garrison, January, 1877 but theguiding-extension soon wears in the horizontal cylinder in which it hasbeen used, so that the valve fails to seat perfectly,

and the tension of the spring M can rarely be so exactly obtained whenfirst made or maintained after it has been used awhile as to prevent thechattering of the valve.

I have added the screw N, which passes through threads formed in theupper or outer enrl of the guide-extension in the cylinderhead, and hasa lock-nut, O, to hold it wherever it may be set. Its inner end turns ina block or socket, 1?, which fits into the upper end of the spring, andby this device the tension of the spring may be altered to suit anypressure of air within the cylinder, and the valve will move silentlyand without any disagreeable chattering.

The piston Q, is secured to the piston-rod in the usual manner, and hasthe packing-rings R fitted to it. The rings are kept in place by meansof a follower, S, which fits the end of the piston, and is held in placeby a central screw or bolt, T.

essary to remove one or more of the valves the screw T may be withdrawnand the follower lifted out without in any way disturbing the piston orother parts.

The air-discharge passage W is formed in the side of the cylinder, asshown, or in any other suitable manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the cylinder A and piston, the single eduction-valveI, having the tubular extension J, the spring M, inclosed in such tube,and the tension-regulating device, substantially as described and shown.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. RIX.

Witnesses:

S. H. N OURSE, FRANK A. BROOKS.

